Devicescape wins pan-European Wi-Fi contract with Liberty Global

16 Mar 2016 05:32 PM

Leading international operator to integrate Devicescape’s Curated Virtual Network of amenity Wi-Fi access points into its service offering in Europe

Liberty Global, the largest international cable company, is to deploy the Devicescape Curated Virtual Network (CVN) of amenity Wi-Fi access points across its European mobile footprint. The solution allows operators to enhance their customers’ smartphone connectivity experience with automated access to Devicescape’s virtual Wi-Fi network.

Managed in real time for quality, availability and ease of access, the CVN gives Liberty Global a way to complement its cellular offering by enabling customers to access an integrated connectivity service.

“Wi-Fi is essential to our mobile strategy, boosting coverage and capacity — particularly indoors — while driving economic efficiencies which we can pass on to our customers,” said Graeme Oxby, managing director, European Mobile Operations, Liberty Global. “By combining Wi-Fi and cellular as we are able to with the Devicescape solution, we are also delivering a significant improvement to the customer experience.”

The agreement between Devicescape and Liberty Global builds on a successful implementation of the Devicescape solution by Virgin Media, Liberty Global’s UK operation, announced in February 2014.

“Adoption by a company of Liberty Global’s stature is clearly a huge endorsement for Devicescape, and our unique approach to the curation of amenity Wi-Fi,” said Dave Fraser, CEO, Devicescape.

“More importantly for the wider industry, this is the first top tier deployment of a service that truly integrates cellular with the huge resource of free, intentionally shared public Wi-Fi. It illustrates how insatiable consumer demand is driving development of new service models which are changing the nature of connectivity service provision.”

The announcement comes as incumbent mobile operators find themselves under increasing competitive pressure from cable operators and disruptive market newcomers positioning Wi-Fi at the heart of their wireless connectivity offerings.

“The writing’s on the wall here for European incumbents. Challengers large and small are all starting to embrace Wi-Fi as a key strategy enabler, and the competitive impact goes beyond wireless,” commented Emma Mohr-McClune. service director, Global Consumer Group at Current Analysis. “In this case, Liberty Global will be leveraging Devicescape’s solution to enhance quad-play value and differentiation, across multiple markets.”